The Trouble With Love
by stained17
Summary: "I'd seen my parents and learned from their mistakes. They were mistakes I was intent on not repeating." Bella has sworn off love. But what happens when someone comes along when she least expects and challenges all of her carefully made rules? Will she be able to resist the persistent Edward?
1. Chapter One

**Chapter One: Broken Promises**

They were at it again. I could hear boyfriend number one, Sam, arguing with his boyfriend about which dish soap really cleaned the dishes better. Apparently, boyfriend number two, whose name is Jake, bought the cheap dish soap. Again.

Every time Jake bought the cheap dish soap, the boyfriends would get into this argument. And it always occurred between three and four in the morning - because obviously that's the best time to argue.

These two have lived in the apartment above mine since before I moved in last September. They were the most volatile couple ever. One day they're madly in love, and the next they are slinging insults at each other and ready to throw in towel.

It amazes me.

It amazes me what people put up with, what they are willing to do for the people they love.

Take my parents for example.

They met when they were sixteen and still in high school. They apparently fell madly in love and when they graduated, they took vows and promised to love each other through good times and bad. They got married. I'm sure if they would have waited a bit longer upon graduation, waited to grow up a bit more, they would have seen their differences and would have eventually gone their separate ways, but instead, they married.

They bought a little two story fixer upper and thought things were perfect.

They weren't.

My mom didn't realize how annoyed she'd grow with my father's inability to pick up his socks from all over the floor. She didn't realize how lonely she'd grow cleaning the house and doing errands all day while my father was out working. She didn't realize how trapped she'd start to feel, how resentful she'd grow to feel of my father for tying her down to such a small, boring town.

My father, for his part, was probably ignorant to the changes going on inside my mother. He was probably blissfully unaware and wrapped up in what he thought was a perfect marriage.

I suppose my mother thought that having a child would solve things, give her something to care for, to love, while my father was away. Instead, it only caused her further resentment, though this time for the tiny baby that kept her awake every night.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to my father when she took off and left me with him for some random guy she met, but I think more than anything, he was just so hurt. And totally unable to process how my mother could not only just up and leave him in the middle of the night, but could also leave a newborn baby as well.

The saddest part is that for years and years after, my dad would call her, write to her and would be devastated when he heard nothing back from her. And I know he would have taken her back. He would have forgiven her for leaving and pretended like nothing ever happened. I think it was some time when I was in middle school that he eventually realized that she was never coming back.

I'm sure it undoubtedly hurt my father, but he picked up and just kept going, trying his best to raise a growing daughter all by himself.

And that was why I'd sworn off love. Sure, I would go on dates and I definitely had sex, but I was absolutely not going to fall into the trap of love. I'd seen my parents and learned from their mistakes. They were mistakes I was intent on not repeating.

Sighing, I rolled over in bed and tried to tune out the arguments of Sam and Jake. Glancing at my clock and seeing the numbers painfully glaring at me, reminding me I had to wake up in three hours, was brutal. Shoving my headphones in my ears, I turned up the music in hopes that it would drown out my neighbors and I would eventually get some sleep.

* * *

Whew. One down.

Welcome aboard!

This story is my first and is a work in progress, so please keep that in mind when reading. I welcome all comments (as long as they are not with malicious intent) and would love to hear what you think!

Thanks for coming along on this ride with me!


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two: Different Expectations**

I was going to be late. There was no two ways about it. And it was all because of damn Sam and Jake. How did they not realize that they woke people up and kept them up with their incessant arguing at all hours of the night?

I'm sure that if it weren't for them, I would make it on time to work every morning. Instead, I am forced to rush through my morning routine and all but fly to my office in the center of town.

Of course, this particular morning, I really can't be late. I have a meeting with a huge prospective client.

Working at a small marketing and advertisement firm, I design the ads that would run nationally for some of the top brands.

I loved me job. Truly, loved it.

And I was afraid that if I didn't make it on time today, my boss would surely kill me.

The truth was, I wanted this client. I have dreamed about working on campaigns like theirs for years and I had such great ideas for their fall campaign.

Grabbing my phone, I unlocked it and dialed the familiar number for my assistant, Kate.

"Bella Swan's office, Kate speaking. How can I assist you today?" Kate said smoothly into the phone.

"Kate, it's Bella. I'm about to pull into the garage… Is everyone there yet for the meeting?"

"Geez, Bella. Cutting it close, huh? I'll let Garrett know you'll be here in ten. And the clients aren't here yet. Garrett thinks they're stuck in the traffic since there's an accident on Fifth. Just get here as soon as you can and I'll make sure everything is ready for the presentation."

Breathing a sigh of relief, I thanked God that at least I still had a chance to nab this client. "Thank God for you Kate. Seriously, I promise as soon as this meeting is over, you can have the rest of the day off. You're a lifesaver."

Kate had been my assistant for two years. She worked more diligently than the other assistants I'd had and was always there to lend a hand. She had yet to let me down.

"No problem. Just get here quickly!"

"I'm parking now, so I'll see you in a few. Thanks again, Kate."

"Sure thing, Boss Lady," she joked as she disconnected.

Quickly parking, I grabbed my bag and purse and ran to the elevators.

Digging my teeth into my bottom lip, I pressed the button for the lobby quickly and stabbed at the close door button three times, as if pressing it more than once would make the door close faster.

Breathing a sigh of relief as the elevators closed, I gathered myself and ran over a list of what I needed to do for the meeting.

As soon as the doors opened, I rush to check in, waving my badge over the scanner and taking the escalator up to the second set of elevators.

Almost there, almost there, I chanted to myself.

I made it into the elevator and onto my floor quicker than I could have hoped and rushed to my office.

"Run, Bella, run," mocked Eric, one of the more annoying guys I worked with. Doing my best to rein in my frustration and remembering that flicking Eric off would not help, I threw my bags down. Checking my face in the mirror on the back of my door, I grabbed my laptop and booked it to the conference room.

As I made it through the doors, I saw Kate finishing setting everything up and thanked her again.

Plugging my laptop into the jack, I double checked my presentation and sighed, waiting nervously for the arrival of my hopefully new clients.

Had I known how drastically my life would be changing from the moment that those potential clients stepped in the door, I maybe would have stayed in bed this morning.

* * *

Two down.

I know it's short, but just stick with me. I promise there's more to come!

Thanks for the support and again, I appreciate you all joining me on this little ride.


End file.
